Al Shabaab chased away from another town

Al-Shabaab chased away from another town

Somali government troops and forces from the African Union (AU) has taken the city of Jowhar, one of the largest cities Islamist group al-Shabaab still had control over.

We took control this morning and are now in the process of establishing security in Jowhar, said a spokesman for the AU operation in Somalia (AMISOM) Sunday.

Did not particularly resistance

The city was, according to the spokesman admitted without much resistance as guerrilla fighters from the al-Shabaab had already put to flight.

The town of Jowhar is located along a main road about 90 kilometers north of the capital Mogadishu.

A spokesman for al-Shabaab said that the group has pulled out of town for strategic reasons.

The loss of Jowhar is significant for the extremist Islamist militia, which in recent months has lost city after city.

Battling to take control

AMISOM with its 17,000 troops have largely contributed to the government forces' progress. It also Ethiopian government forces made after last summer went into Somalia from the west.

AU forces now fighting to take control of the road northwest of Mogadishu until Baidoa, which is occupied by Ethiopian forces.

In addition, Kenyan forces in the last year pushed the guerrillas from the south. Forces took control of september seaport and al-Shabaab stronghold of Kismayo.

Islamists still have control over the small port town Baraw, located about 180 kilometers south of Mogadishu.